A new correlation for the prediction of refractive index and liquid densities of 1-alcohols

•We develop a new generalized correlation of the refractive index of 1-alcohols.•We consider six different semi-theoretical relationships between the refractive index and the density of 1-alcohols.•We have successfully correlate the density of 1-alcohols including methanol and ethanol.•The liquid density equation depends upon the number of carbon atoms and the temperature.•We have tested the extrapolative capacity of the new equations.

This paper presents a new correlation for the refractive index of 1-alcohols. The correlation relies upon a linear behavior with temperature from (293 to 353) K. This correlation uses the carbon number as a variable, and the universal constants result from curve fits of 117 experimental refractive index measurements for 1-alcohols from methanol to 1-decanol. The new equation correlates the refractive index within an average absolute percentage deviation of 0.05%. The correlation for the density also uses the temperature, the carbon number and the refractive index as variables. The new density equation correlates the density of 1-alcohols from (159 to 373) K within an average absolute percentage deviation of 0.08%. The extrapolative ability of both equations agrees with the data within the experimental error.